Is it a bird, is it a plane... or is it a meteor?

[davidc]

This isn't my image, it's my Dad's, but he was asking what I thought about it and also to identify the object on the right above the Sage building.

Newcastle 019.JPG

(2.14 MiB) Not downloaded yet

I have my own thoughts as to what it is but rather than sway opinion before I say, anyone else have any opinion what the bright object in the sky is?

[Paul Heester]

Would love to say its a comet but considering the bright sunshine I guess exposure was relatively short, therefore capturing a comet is a 1 in a million chance. Given the angle of the sun it will be a contrail. The gap in the streak is due to the cloud partially blocking the sun back lighting it.

[davidc]

It definitely wasn't a comet, I checked that too. I've actually joined a couple of forums that are setup to investigate & debunk pseudoscience claims, including a subforum for contrails! I'm hoping they'll be able to provide insight as to whether it's a meteor or a contrail.

[Mike Farley]

Dust streaking across the sensor during exposure?

I am not sure that I buy into the contrail theory, mainly because it seems to be too short and there does not appear to be any evidence of a plane at the head of it. After Paul's talk at the club last night, what we need is Colin Prior to tell us the times of flights going over Newcastle to be certain!

Assuming it is not some optical effect, it could possibly be something burning up in the atmosphere and your Dad just happened to press the shutter at the right time? Beyond that, I cannot really add much to the debate. I look forward to hearing Dave's views IDC.

Have fun in the contrail forum!

[davidc]

That's the other theory, a meteor burning up. Given it's a 1/250th exposure he'd have to be fantastically lucky but as that giant Russian meteor earlier in the year and my timelapse shows, meteors streak through our atmosphere all the time.

The "professionals" think it's a contrail. I am getting images taken before/after to prove it once and for all.

[Mike Farley]

The "professionals" think it's a contrail. I am getting images taken before/after to prove it once and for all.

Given that someone has gone to the effort to set up a forum dedicated to the subject and others have thought it worthwhile to join, they probably want everything to be a contrail.

[davidc]

Heh it's more of a general rational thinking/skepticism/conspiracy theory debunking site. They do a podcast which is how I found their forum and have quite an array of experts on a number of topics. For instance, there is a ludicrous theory, primarily in the US, that the contrails you see on airliners are not just high altitude condensation but world governments distributing mind altering chemicals to the population.

Not sure if you heard but there was a big panic on the west coast of the US a few years ago. People in California saw this -



You can forgive them for thinking it was a missile launch but basically it's a plane flying directly overhead and towards the camera. Numerous other sources either side of the flight track proved it. Didn't stop the US news networks from going mental claiming nuclear war was imminent...

[Mike Farley]

Heh it's more of a general rational thinking/skepticism/conspiracy theory debunking site. They do a podcast which is how I found their forum and have quite an array of experts on a number of topics. For instance, there is a ludicrous theory, primarily in the US, that the contrails you see on airliners are not just high altitude condensation but world governments distributing mind altering chemicals to the population.

So no one on there who speaks with a flat, nasal intonation?

Not sure if you heard but there was a big panic on the west coast of the US a few years ago. People in California saw this -



You can forgive them for thinking it was a missile launch but basically it's a plane flying directly overhead and towards the camera. Numerous other sources either side of the flight track proved it. Didn't stop the US news networks from going mental claiming nuclear war was imminent...

Nothing like checking the facts before going on air.